By: Ma. Neri M. Magdangan
SPCIHS
Breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways to ensure child health and survival. However, nearly 2 out of 3 infants are not exclusively breastfed for the recommended 6 months.
Breastmilk is the ideal food for infants. It is safe, clean and contains antibodies which help protect against many common childhood illnesses. Breastmilk provides all the energy and nutrients that the infant needs for the first months of life, and it continues to provide up to half or more of a child’s nutritional needs during the second half of the first year, and up to one third during the second year of life.
Breastfed children perform better on intelligence tests, are less likely to be overweight or obese and less prone to diabetes later in life. Women who breastfeed also have a reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancers.
Inappropriate marketing of breast-milk substitutes continues to undermine efforts to improve breastfeeding rates and duration worldwide.
As Adolescent Reproductive Health coordinator, it is but proper to give our students helpful information concerning the importance of breastfeeding which is somewhat neglected now adays. According to the 2011 Family Health Survey (FHS) results indicate that 92% of children in the Philippines age 6-35 months old had been breastfed at some time and children in CALABARZON were the least likely to be exclusively breastfed. To address this issue a program was conducted last April 11,2022 entitled “Integration of Breastfeeding Education in some subjects”. It aimed to increase learner’s awareness on breastfeeding through integration of breastfeeding education in Grade 10 Science subjects. Several minutes of Grade 10 Science online classes was devoted for the said program using recorded presentation. The presentation contains useful information on breastfeeding. It also discussed the characteristics of a breastfed babies as well as the advantage of breastfeeding for mother both physically and emotionally. The students-audience seems to be very participative. Although they are still on their adolescent age, awareness of this issue will help them become more responsible particularly on their reproductive health. Online evaluation of the session was conducted among the participants to monitor its effectiveness and applicability.
